Those who have booked flights to coordinate with this tour through Temple World will check in at Gatwick for a flight with British Airways direct to San José. Those who have requested a transfer from us will be met and transferred straight to the hotel. Those who are making their own way to San José can check into our hotel, the Presidente Hotel, from 2pm today. The Presidente Hotel is a comfortable hotel right in the city centre near shops, museums and restaurants. Private transfers and day rooms at the hotel can be arranged for those who need them – please ask us for a quote. Meet for the first time for drinks and an early dinner this evening.

Overnight: Presidente Hotel Meals: D

A very early start (6am) to make the three hour journey by road towards the Caribbean coast and the Parque Nacional Tortuguero, a 311 sqm coastal park teeming with wildlife. On the way, traverse through the Braulio Carillo National Park, a primary forest, with breakfast en route. Arrive at the port of Caño Blanco, continuing by shared boat the rest of the way to the town of Tortuguero along a network of canals. The Tortuguero lowland area is mostly made of swamps and slow flowing rivers that lead to the Caribbean. The area is hot and humid, which allows it to boast some of the thickest and least spoiled rainforest in Central America.

Arriving at our hotel, Evergreen Lodge, we shall check in for a two night stay and have lunch. This simple but comfortable lodge has been chosen because of its location right in the pristine forest just 5 minutes by boat from the park entrance. The rustic cabins have windows with nets but no glass, to enhance the immersive experience, so in the morning the sound of howler monkeys in the trees above will be your morning alarm call.  There’s a refreshing pool for cooling off after our explorations, a welcoming bar and a number of comfortable lounges dotted around the grounds. This afternoon there is time to visit the museum, the beach and the town before dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Overnight: Evergreen Lodge  Meals: B, L, D

A more leisurely morning today to recover after yesterday’s early start. Take a dip in the pool, book a relaxing spa treatment or wander through the gardens to find resident capuchin monkeys, poison dart frogs, iguanas and a huge variety of birds.

After lunch experience Tortuguero by boat, which is the best way to explore its network of canals. Tortuguero National Park boasts 57 species of amphibians, 111 reptile species, 2000 species of plants and 400 species of trees! There are also more than 300 species of birds, and due to the wet habitat the park is especially rich in waders including egrets, jacanas and herons, as well as being home to kingfishers, toucans and the great curassow, a type of jungle peacock. Mammals to look out for include mantled howler monkeys, the Central American spider monkey and white-faced capuchin, and if lucky, both two-toed and three-toed sloths. Jaguars and ocelots also roam this region but are rarely seen. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight at Evergreen Lodge.

Overnight: Evergreen Lodge  Meals: B, L, D

After an early breakfast at the lodge, return by boat to the dock at Caño Blanco where we shall join our transfer vehicle for the road journey to Sarapiquí, with lunch en route.

Costa Rica’s Sarapiquí region stretches around the top of Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo and west to the village of San Miguel. Tropical in feel and carpeted with fruit plantations, the area bears more resemblance to the hot, dense Caribbean lowlands than the plains of the north, and despite large-scale deforestation, still shelters some of the best pre-montaine forest in the country.

Stay at the Sueño Azul, a hacienda set in a 1,500 acre lakeside ranch, with waterfalls, walking trails and botanical gardens to explore. There is leisure time to settle in and perhaps have a swim in the pool before dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Sueño Azul Meals: B, L, D

This morning after breakfast we shall be taken to La Tirimbina Rainforest Centre, a private non-profit wildlife refuge and research centre. The refuge protects over 850 acres of mid-elevation tropical forests. Bird life includes royal flycatchers, slaty-breasted tinamous, white-necked puffbirds and golden wing warblers, and there are 95 species of mammal. There are 9km of hiking trails to explore in the refuge, laid out so that visitors can observe different habitats such as old cacao plantations, secondary forests, wetlands, river banks and primary rainforest. The park has some spectacular suspension bridges including one across the Sarapiquí River which is 860 long and another which is suspended in the canopy to provide a tree-top view within the primary forest. Return to Sueño Azul for lunch.

In the afternoon, explore the walking trails at the hacienda’s reserve to learn about the flora and fauna found there. The active might like to participate in one of the lodge’s on-site activities such as a gentle inflatable tube ride down the San Rafael River or the high ropes canopy tour (some activities attract an extra charge). Dinner and overnight at Sueño Azul.

Overnight: Sueño Azul Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, make the two hour road journey to La Fortuna de San Carlos, near Arenal Volcano National Park, with lunch on the way. Often simply referred to as La Fortuna, the town of La Fortuna de San Carlos is the gateway to the magnificent Arenal Volcano. Check into our hotel, the Arenal Observatory Lodge,  the only lodge inside Arenal National Park, originally built as a research station for scientists of the Smithsonian Institute.

This afternoon take a guided tour of Arenal Volcano National Park, a rugged and varied landscape with a high level of biodiversity – roughly half the species of land-dwelling vertebrates known in Costa Rica can be found here. Bird life includes species such as trogons, rufous motmots, fruitcrows and lancebills, and mammals we might see include howler monkeys, white faced capuchins and bold coatis. Volcán Arenal itself is a spectacular andesitic stratovolcano with a peak of 1633 metres and a crater spanning 140 metres. Geologically considered to be a young volcano at under 7,000 years old, the volcano was dormant for hundreds of years until it erupted unexpectedly in 1968, destroying the town of Tabacón. With an almost constant period of activity from then until 2010, it is now in a ‘resting’ phase but seismic activity continues 5km inside and constant monitoring is ongoing.

Overnight: Arenal Observatory Lodge  Meals: B, L, D

A full morning of adventures starting after breakfast with a ride on the Sky tram, an open-air gondola soaring smoothly through the rain forest, offering up endless views during its mountainous ascent. You can stop the tram at any point for photographs or bird-spotting. The Sky tram ends at a wide observation platform on the highest point of the Arenal Reserve, where you can sit down to enjoy the views of the volcano, lake, mountain range and rainforest. To get back down, either take the Sky tram in the opposite direction or the adventurous can zip their way to the bottom along fast moving canopy zip lines. We shall also explore the canopy on a “Sky Walk” along suspended bridges and trails, with fantastic opportunities to spot birds and howler monkeys at their own level.

Afterwards, we shall head back to the Arenal Observatory Lodge for lunch and a look at its volcano museum and seismograph which monitors local activity.

After lunch, relax at Baldi Hot Springs, a tropical garden dotted with numerous attractive pools containing spring water of varying temperatures and stunning views of the Volcano.  Those who wish to take part in a primary forest night walk at the Mistico Hanging Bridges to see nocturnal animals and insects can book this as an optional excursion before dinner (18:00) today (additional cost applies).  Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.

Overnight: Arenal Observatory Lodge  Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, depart for the Quaker settlement of Monteverde, a scenic journey of around three and a half hours by boat and land. Cross Arenal Lake, a large man-made lake created in 1974 to provide hydroelectricity. During the 30 minute crossing it’s often possible to see ringed kingfishers, snowy egrets, great egrets, potted sandpipers, blue herons and other tropical birds around the edges. The road journey onwards to Monteverde is incredibly beautiful, with cloud forest on both sides of the road in places.

On arrival we shall check in to our hotel, El Establo, a Quaker-run establishment set in 150 acres of farmland and protected primary forest next to the Monteverde Reserve. Twelve Quaker and pacifist families settled in Monteverde in the 1950’s having left the USA as conscientious objectors to the draft for the Korean War – four had already served jail time for refusing on religious grounds.

After a chance to settle in at the hotel, freshen up and have lunch, travel to Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, a community-managed forest shrouded in mist, full of dangling mossy vines, gushing streams and sprouting ferns, orchids and bromeliads.  A fragile environment right on the continental divide, humid trade winds from the Caribbean are cooled by forested slopes and condense into clouds here. Bird life here is astounding, with more than 400 recorded species including the prized resplendent quetzal. Limited visibility in the forest can make spotting the reserve’s mammals challenging, but coatis, howler monkeys, capuchins, sloths and agoutis are commonly seen, and the reserve also boasts spider monkeys which the larger Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve nearby does not. Amongst the 3000 species of plants jostling for space there are 500 orchid species, and many get all their nutrients from the mist, leaving their roots exposed. Dinner and overnight at El Establo.

Overnight: El Establo Meals: B, L, D

After an early breakfast, there’s a second opportunity to discover cloud forest flora and fauna, with a walk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve as soon as it opens, to look for Resplendant Quetzals in their nest holes in particular.

After this activity there is free time for the rest of the day,  to choose your own lunch spot and pick an optional activity, or simply relax back at the hotel.  Santa Elena town is home to some great coffee shops and local ice-cream, as dairy and coffee are both farmed locally.   There are dozens of things to do in the area –  Selvatura park nearby has a butterfly and hummingbird garden, a sloth centre and handing bridges as well as ziplining, so makes a great one-stop visit. Hiking or horse-riding to San Luis Waterfall is another great way to spend the afternoon, or perhaps visit the Don Juan plantation which grows cacao, coffee and sugar cane and offers a three in one tour to explore the history of these in Costa Rican culture, learning how the locals farm and process each crop and sampling the results!  Optional activities are at additional cost, some activities require pre-booking. Dinner and overnight at El Establo.

Overnight: El Establo Meals: B,  – , D

After breakfast we shall travel south to the Pacific coast, stopping at the Carara National Park on the way – a ‘transition’ forest with dry forest in the north and rainforest in the south. Here a wealth of flora and fauna graces the hills and plains. Rivers and marshes are home to a diverse population of reptiles and amphibians. The forested areas are alive with monkeys, armadillos, peccaries, pacas and small cats. Bird lovers can enjoy sightings of pink cranes and anhingas as well as waterfowl such as roseate spoonbills, jacanas, pied-billed grebes and Mexican tiger-bitterns. This is also one of only two areas in Costa Rica where scarlet macaws can be seen.

Continue the the short distance to Manuel Antonio National Park, the country’s smallest national park but arguably its most beautiful , with white sand beaches fringed by rainforest, playful monkeys, swaying palms and coral reefs teeming with life. Check in to the Parador Hotel,  an eco hotel minutes from the National Park surrounded by 12 acres of wildlife-rich rainforest with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean.

Overnight: Parador Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, spend the morning exploring the trails through the park with our guide, looking out for troops of white faced capuchins, mantled howler monkeys, coatis and two as well as three-toed sloths. South America’s rarest primate, the sweet Central American squirrel monkey can also be seen here with a bit of luck. Reptiles include large ctenosaurs (spinytail iguanas) and green iguanas which are often found basking on the beach. Colourful crabs are plentiful, whilst offshore we may see bottle nosed or tropical spotted dolphins, orca whales and migratory humpback whales.

After the morning in the park, the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy lunch independently (lunch at own cost) and then relax or pick an optional activity for the rest of the day.  Manuel Antonio has over 75 eateries tucked away in the small town, including beach cafes, sushi places, wood-fired pizza joints, fresh fish restaurants and of course plenty of local Tico cuisine, from homely to gourmet.  Activities you might like to book include kayaking or taking a boat tour through the mangroves at nearby Damas Island, taking an afternoon catamaran cruise off the coast,  tubing on the nearby Savegre River, or taking to the ocean on a sea kayak with a chance to snorkel too.   Those who prefer to relax can stroll around the hotel grounds looking for wildlife, head for the beach, or book a spa treatment.

We will meet tonight for a final evening lecture and farewell dinner.

Overnight: Parador Meals: B,  – , D

After breakfast and check out this morning, the group will be transferred back to San Jose (around 3 hours by road).  After a light lunch on arrival, those who have booked flights with Temple World will be transferred to the airport to check in for their 17:00 flight to London with British Airways overnight.  We can quote for private transfers for those departing on alternative flights.

We are offering a set extension to the Osa Peninsula to this itinerary for those who would like to add this incredibly biodiverse region to the main tour. We are also able to plan a huge range of private extensions to this group tour, from beach stays in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste and Nicoya regions, to travel into Panama (the most incredible eco-destination) and other nearby regions.

Those making their own flight reservations or departing to other destinations should check with us before booking, as it may be necessary to overnight in San Jose and then fly the next day. We can quote good, inexpensive hotels within easy reach of the airport for those who need them.

Meals: B, L

Arrival in London at around 10.30 this morning.

See the ‘extensions’ tab for details of our Osa Peninsula Post-Tour extension, plus tailor made extension options.